Dead Right
by GabrielleBlue
Summary: Set in Dead Ever After. OC, AU and whatever else you want to name it since this Sookie has a brain and a backbone and the last three books were twisted to fit the HEA. The whole Sam shebang that ends with Sookie using the Cluviel Dor on him doesn't happen. Rated M for some lemonade. Won 3rd place in Gyllene's HEA Contest


Dead Right

Set in Dead Ever After. OC, AU and whatever else you want to name it since this Sookie has a brain and a backbone and the last three books were twisted to fit the HEA. The whole Sam shebang that ends with Sookie using the Cluviel Dor on him doesn't happen. Rated M for some lemonade.

Sookie sat down, putting her head in her hands, covering her eyes. "Please, stop," she said, exhausted.

They had been fighting for what felt like forever. They've been going at it for weeks, ever since that goddamn contract with that bitch came up. What the fuck was wrong with these vamps, Sookie wondered. Sires got to just do whatever the fuck they pleased with the people they brought over? That was just messed up.

Eric felt her close to a breaking point and sighed. This was the last thing he wanted to do. He wanted to enjoy the last moments he had with his Sookie, his true wife, before he had to go Oklahoma and be a slave for two hundred years.

Alas, he knew that he had to do everything in his power for his Sookie to live on, to be protected, to get to live the life she's always wanted, away from vampire politics and people who wanted to kill her. It was breaking him apart to have to tell her all these nasty things, to propose that she'd become a court bitch for him at the palace, to say all those nasty things.

He wanted her to end up with Sam. Bill was a bad choice from the get-go, but the shifter was a decent man and he cared about Sookie. He was also quite powerful when he shifted in large animals, so he'd be able to offer her some protection if need be, even if he couldn't really compare with vampires.

"I don't want to do this, but I must," he said, making Sookie look up at him.

"Then, don't. You don't have to break my heart over and over again, Eric. What do you want of me? To let you leave for Oklahoma without fighting for you? You want me to just forget you ever existed and move on and what? Have puppies with Sam?"

Eric smirked at that. Of course she knew, because she always did. They'd spend enough time together for her to know the way he thought, to some extent.

"Yes. Why not?"

"Because I love you," she said, burying her head in her hands again.

Eric couldn't believe his ears. Ever since she broke the bond between them, he hadn't been able to feel any trace of her. It was tormenting him and it was like a big hole had been ripped inside of him. After living for so many years feeling her within his very soul, having her gone had been a shock.

He'd been furious when she broke the bond, especially since her reasoning was so faulty. She wasn't sure she loved him and feared that he'd been making her feel the things she was feeling? That was horseshit in his opinion. He could, however, see how she'd come up with this conclusion.

After all the damage Compton did, her trust issues were off the chart. He had assumed that Compton explained that a bond and a vampire's blood can't give birth to feelings. Sure, some assholes like to manipulate those they share blood with, but he would never do such a thing.

"You love me? Is that why you broke the bond, Sookie?" he asked in anger.

"Yes. No. I didn't break the bond because I love you, but because I wanted to make sure my feelings were my own. The second the spell was complete I knew I had made a mistake, that it would cause a rift between us that we may never be able to mend. I realized soon after that all the love I was feeling for you was from myself, not because of your blood. I regret breaking the bond and I would take that back if I could."

Eric sat down at that, the fight inside him draining quickly. "You'd bond with me again, knowing that it's permanent?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes. I would. This time, I would do it because I want to, not because I was forced to. Not because I need your protection, but because I love you."

"You know, in the years we've been together, I don't think I've heard you say you love me as many times as you have tonight." Eric's voice was full of bitterness.

Sookie looked at the floor. She knew that she hadn't exactly been the easiest person to be with. She hadn't been as loving as Eric deserved, mostly because she was always on the lookout for that moment when he'd leave and break her heart. Even as time went by, her fears didn't lessen and she continued to believe that a man like Eric couldn't really love a woman like her, someone who had very little education, who worked in a bar all her life and who had an ability that was a curse on some days and a gift on others. She had been waiting for the other shoe to drop ever since she accepted being into a relationship with Eric.

"You've felt it, though," she said, adding it like it should have been attached to the phrase "but on the bright side."

He conceded and nodded. For the first time since she knew him, Eric stopped looking forever frozen in his twenties. A thousand years of worries, experiences, battles and losses were etched in his face. The sorrow in his eyes pained Sookie.

"I have, and I will never again experience your love, or you mine, Sookie."

Sookie scampered off her seat, sitting down near his legs, looking up at him. "We must find a way to fight this, Eric. I can't let you go. I won't."

Eric's face softened at that, his eyes boring into hers. His hand came up, caressing her cheek; he smiled when she leaned into his touch. "I tried, Sookie. By the time I told you about the contract, I did everything in my power to annul it. I spoke to the daemon lawyer, went over the files, but we didn't find any loopholes. Saying I'm already bonded and pledged would do no good. They… they want me to divorce you publicly so that I have no more ties to you."

"Divorce? Is that even possible? I thought pledges are forever."

"They're not, normally. They last between a hundred and two hundred years since we are immortal. Divorces have been known to take place from time to time."

Sookie started crying then, the one thing Eric hated the most. He gathered her in his arms and held her. "I don't want to divorce you, I don't want to lose you," she sobbed.

"I don't want that either. I love you, Sookie. You'll always be my one true love, no matter what happens between us."

"Then don't go to Oklahoma. You're my husband, not hers. She should get her own."

Sookie knew she sounded like a bratty child, but in that instant she couldn't have cared less. She wanted her Eric and there was nothing and no one that could console her. She realized then that she was already mourning the loss of him, causing her to cry even harder.

"If only there was a way, Sookie, if only there was a way," he said, caressing her hair. His eyes were rimmed with red tears that refused to fall. Given how emotional she was, she didn't need for her to see him cry too.

Sookie squeezed her eyes shut, tightening his hold on him, trying to feel as much of him as possible, to get him etched into her skin so that he may never leave again.

"I wish Niall was here. I'm sure he'd have helped," Sookie said as her sobs quieted down a bit, helped by the comforting shushes coming from Eric.

"I don't know if he would, but it's a possibility. However, I don't even think he could do much good to this discussion. Even with his position he doesn't have much sway with the vampire monarchs. Unless he wages war, that is, but I doubt the fae would go to war for the sake of a hybrid and her vampire husband. Especially because of said vampire husband," Eric said, offering Sookie a bitter smile.

The telepath knew he was right, although she despised it. Alas, the portals were closed and it wasn't like she could go traipsing over to see Niall when she so pleased it. She didn't even think there was a way to communicate with him between the realms.

Suddenly, her eyes opened wide. The Cluviel Dor. She jumped to her feet, a smile on her face. "I know what to do! I will save us! I will make a wish!"

Eric nearly snorted out a laugh. Was she serious? He hadn't detected any type of illness on her, so she couldn't have been delirious, could she?

"Explain," was all he said. Heck, at this point in time, he wouldn't mind wishing upon a star himself.

"I found this artefact that grandpa Fintan left for Gran after he died. It's called a Cluviel Dor and it's a rare fairy item that is meant to grant someone a wish."

"What kind of wish?"

"Any kind of wish. It must be used out of love and the wish must be personal. Not many people know about it, but I'm sure some would be more than willing to kill me for it."

Eric mulled this over. He liked the idea that Sookie was presenting, but he also realized that an object with such magical powers would have great consequences, side effects, and more.

"I can make any wish I want and it will become true. Oh, Eric, you won't have to leave me," she said, sitting back on his knees, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Hope bloomed inside the Viking. He had been dreading the day he'd have to join Freyda in her state, to be her sex toy for all eternity. While he had taken care to add some stipulations of his own in the marriage contract, securing Sookie's future from vampires, she was still the one he worried most about. He was very nearly sure that Freyda would at one point or another try to have her killed when it will have become obvious that he was never going to love her and that his thoughts lead back to Sookie every time.

"Can you show me?" he asked and Sookie nodded.

She walked back to the place she'd stashed the object, carefully took it out, and carried it to Eric. Sitting down on the floor at his feet, Sookie revealed the green object to Eric. She was already feeling happier and she knew that it was in part the effect of the magical object in her palms.

Eric caressed the surface slightly and gasped. It felt like energy was pulsing out of it, thrumming beneath his fingers.

"We must be careful, Sookie, not just because this artefact between your fingers is sought after, but because we don't really know what we're dealing with right here."

Sookie nodded her agreement. "It's our last resort, honey, I know that. But even if all goes to shit because of some butterfly effect, I'll be ok with that, knowing I tried; knowing that I wouldn't want to live on without you anyway. If I die in the process and you get to be free of Oklahoma, I'd be ok with that too. You don't deserve to be someone's slave again, not after Appius; not because of that motherfucker."

Eric was touched by her words and slipped off the couch to the floor, gathering Sookie in his arms.

He was surprised by the changes in Sookie but he wasn't going to complain. He figured that it was most likely the shock of losing him forever that brought up this change in her attitude. It also didn't help that all they've been doing in the past weeks was to fight over anything and everything.

"We'll get through this together, Lover. I promise you."

"We need to think this through, Eric, make sure that we make the best wish possible, to get what we want, but to not fuck up the world around us too much."

"I guess that rules out going back in time and killing Appius before he even thinks to sign such a contract, to send me into slavery just so he can play mind games once more."

Sookie snorted at that. She'd have loved nothing more than to kill that motherfucker over and over again, but it did seem like it would cause just too much mayhem.

"When do you think he started planning all this?" she asked, curious about his opinion on the topic. She'd always wondered about that.

Eric looked down into her eyes and responded sincerely. "The night you walked into my bar and into my life. In that moment I knew I had to do everything to get you. First it was a sexual attraction, but it soon grew into more. So much more, in fact, that I had no idea what I was feeling. After a thousand years without feeling love, I couldn't even recognize it anymore. I have thought in the time since he died at what might have brought him back into my life and I think it was him feeling me hope again. The weak bond that was still between us must have tipped him off."

Sookie started weeping again, but it wasn't because of her sadness and frustration this time, but rather because she could feel the truth behind his words.

"I love you so much I can't breathe sometimes. I try to put on a brave face when I see you, never let you catch a glimpse of my vulnerabilities, because you deserve a strong woman. I guess I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and for you to leave me all alone, to abandon me like everyone else in my life. I never thought you'd want to stay with plain, crazy Sookie."

"There's nothing plain about you, Sookie," Eric said, his big palms encasing Sookie's face. "You're also the strongest person I know."

With that, Eric leaned forward and captured her lips in a tender kiss. Sookie sighed and melted into his embrace, her lips molding to his, falling back into the rhythm they loved so much, a dance they'd rehearsed a million times and yet nowhere near enough.

Neither tried to go deeper, to put more passion into the kiss, to let it turn into something more. They had a lot of talking to do, still, and little time to do it in.

They pulled away slowly and leaned in for several more sweet kisses as Sookie regained her breath.

"So, how about wishing for the contract to disappear," Sookie said. The idea had stuck in her mind since her previous questions.

"Then Appius would just keep fucking with me in another way. He'd come up with another solution to torture me. We could end up waking tomorrow and finding him still alive and you enslaved by him while he tortures me in more ways than one. That sadistic bastard is best left dead," Eric said with a sense of desperation. He was finally free of that asshole and he wanted to stay that way.

"Ok, you're right. There's just too much that could go wrong when messing with history. How about we kill Freyda?" Sookie asked, for once, a glint in her eyes as she spoke of murder.

"That could work," Eric said, mulling the idea. If it worked, his contact would be void.

"But...?" she knew there had to be more to it.

"But I don't think it's going to solve all our problems. We'd get to be together because I no longer have to go to Oklahoma, but Felipe could step in and take you from me."

Eric slumped back into the couch. It felt like he'd never be able to actually be happy. For the first time in a very long time he regretted being a vampire because it was causing them so much grief.

"Then we kill them both and you get to be King," Sookie suggested, her tone light.

Eric simply shook his head. Being King would get them some protection, but it wouldn't last forever. Not as long as she was mostly human. It would only be a matter of time before someone came and challenged his throne.

"As much as this may sound as the solution to end all problems, my dear, the reality is far from that. Vampire politics is full of greedy idiots so think they know best. By being a Sheriff I managed to rule a piece of land in my own way, with the only issue was paying monthly tribute. No one cared how I ran things, they just cared about getting the due money.

"But I didn't accept this position because it was the best I could do. In fact, I know I could probably get whatever kingdom I want if I choose to make a move," Eric smirked at that. "Being a Sheriff didn't make me a target, however. If anyone has a problem with the King, they usually just go take his head off and be done with it. Sheriffs usually keep their positions because they're already familiar with the areas."

"So staying Sheriff is a strategic move, got it," Sookie said, falling back into her thoughts. She was not yet despairing over the situation, but she wasn't very far from it.

"How about you turn me? Would that help?" she said, shocking Eric into complete silence.

The Viking stared at her in disbelief. Could she be serious about this?

"What are you saying, Sookie?"

"Exactly what you heard. Would it help our case if we were bonded, pledged and if you were my Maker to top it off?"

She was as serious as could be. She was sure she wanted to be with Eric forever now. It had taken nearly losing him for her to see it, but she was more than positive that the two of them were supposed to be together. It was cheesy to say they were fated, she thought, but it sure felt like it to her.

"You want to be a vampire? You, Sookie Stackhouse, who once made me promise to let her die rather than become a vampire?"

Sookie flinched. She deserved it, she reckoned. "I want to be with you forever. If this is the way to do it, then so be it. I'll deal with the rest later," she told him.

"You're not saying it just because we are in the situation we're in?" he probed.

"No. I want to do it anyway. Whether it's now to save our skin or later on because we feel like it's time, it doesn't matter to me. "

Eric gathered her in his arms once again and hugged her to his chest. If they'd have still been bonded in that instant, she'd have gotten a headache from all the feelings going through him.

"I'll change you whenever you want, Lover. I'd like nothing more than to spend the rest of eternity with you. But it won't help us now. They'll get even more power over you because you will be a young vampire and we don't have enough time to get you trained properly. And it won't stop them from breaking our bond, either, even though the Maker-Child relationship is sacred."

Sookie sighed, knowing he was right. "Well, then I'll have to become what they fear most - a fairy."

"But you already are part fairy," Eric said.

"Yes, I know, but if I could come into some fairy powers, then I might be able to shoot some fireballs big enough to make the vamps that want us apart think twice before coming after us."

Eric smiled at that. Sookie had a point. Vampires would fear someone who could kill them in an instant and from a distance.

"Is it even possible?" he wondered, trying not to get his hopes up only to become disappointed again.

"I think anything is possible at this point. As far as I understand, the Cluviel Dor can grant us any wish."

"Then, perhaps I should become human, Sookie. I'd get to live a human life with you, give you children, and they'll certainly not be interested in me anymore."

There was sorrow in his voice, sadness that he couldn't have children with his beloved, as he'd had with Aude.

Sookie's voice landed on his. "No, Eric. Listen, I would love to have children with you, because I'd like to give this to you, but me, personally… I've never wanted children, Eric. Not with the way I was treated when I was a child. I know that things would be different now because I'd raise the telepathic boy or girl, but there are still too many scars from my own childhood. And I don't want you to lose your eternity."

Rationally, he understood where she was coming from and she did have a point - aside from losing his immortality, he'd also be giving up his only power against vampires. They'd both be living in constant danger.

"And you think turning into a fairy will give you the powers we need to see this through?"

Sookie nodded. "It's our best bet, the way I see it. But, will you be able to resist the scent?"

"I might. It depends on how much potent it will be. But I think you'll be safe, Lover."

Sookie felt giddy. They finally had a plan and only a few more days to get their ducks in a row. While they were not safe yet, they were at least fighting against this together.

She jumped into his arms and kissed him fully on the mouth. This time, they weren't restraining themselves anymore. His long arms wrapped around her back, bringing her close, as his large hands kneaded her backside.

Her center rocked over his own, a moan leaving both their throats. "I love you, Sookie Stackhouse," Eric told her.

"And I love you, Mr. Northman," she replied, moving to divest herself of her clothes. She felt like she couldn't get close to him fast enough.

Their reunion was fast, but tender. In their desperation to become one, to get reacquainted with one another, they raced to their peaks. They looked into each other's eyes and they knew, right then and there that there was no going back. They had chosen one another and this was it – live or die, they were in it together.

Sookie's mouth descended to his neck just as her orgasm started to wash over her. Her blunt teeth bit into his flesh, causing blood to erupt into her eager mouth. Eric roared as he came inside her and bit down on her neck just as she was taking the first mouthful of his own blood.

Their pleasure intensified as the bond between them came back to life, tying them to one another as if nothing had happened, as if it had only been stifled for a few months, not broken as they had thought.

Loving feelings moved back and forth between the two of them as they recovered from the waves of pleasure their joining had brought.

Both of them had been surprised that the exchange they had during their intimate time had been sufficient to bring them back together, but neither complained. At the very least they were saving quite a bit of time since it would have taken at least another night for three exchanges to be performed.

Hours later they both lay naked in bed in Eric's cubby. The Cluviel Dor lay between them, their hands intertwined on the bed next to it.

"Shall we?" Sookie asked.

"Go ahead." Eric was excited about what was about to happen, but he also feared the magical object that innocently lay on the bed. They were in this for good, however, and there was no going back. It was either taking a chance with the Cluviel Dor or becoming separated forever.

"It's going to be Ok, Eric. We'll make it through this," she said in response to his feelings.

Sookie's hand trembled as she took the Cluviel Dor in her palm. At once, her mood shifted, as it always did when she touched the object. Focusing on Eric's presence and the love she felt for him, Sookie made the wish that would either make them or break them. She wished to have the fairy powers needed to protect her love now and always.

The world swirled around her and she could feel her entire being surge with energy. Her whole body tingled as the hurricanes inside her subsided, but before she could do anything, she blacked out.

Sookie didn't know how long it was that she slept, but it only felt like a few minutes. Much to her surprise, nearly a day had passed and she'd been safely nestled in near Eric's body the entire time.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice hoarse due to her dry throat.

"You were alight with this energy from within you and then, when everything calmed down, you passed out. I am pretty sure you haven't woken up during the day, though. How do you feel?"

He had been worried about Sookie. He had no idea what she was going through and no idea what this magic might bring so he was, understandably, on edge. He wasn't used to feeling so powerless.

"I feel fine, rested. In fact, I feel like I could probably eat an entire cow right about now," she laughed and Eric joined her before suggesting they go find something for her to eat.

He carried on asking about anything and everything that she was going through, hoping to find a way to help her through this.

"Do I smell any different?" she asked as she wolfed down a big sandwich with leftover turkey.

"Your smell is more potent, but I don't feel the need to drain you," he said. "Perhaps it's only your powers that have increased."

After she ate, the two of them went to her back yard. If they were going to test out if she had any new powers, that was the place to go. There were too many valuable family items in the house to risk having them destroyed.

They had barely made it to the backyard when an unannounced visitor showed up, walking from the cemetery towards them.

"Sookeh," he said from a distance. Bill's face twisted in anger when he noticed Eric there. Wasn't he supposed to be in Oklahoma already? He had gone to all the trouble of tracking down Appius, whom he knew about from his database. He was the one to mention to him that the Queen of Oklahoma could take care of Alexei for him when he noticed the old vampire was tired of keeping an eye on the bratty vampire, in exchange of protection, of course.

Bill knew for certain that Eric's maker would barter his childe's freedom rather than his own and he had been right. Now, he had been waiting for the right time, for Eric to be out of the picture completely, to make a move on Sookie. After all, she was going to be devastated about Eric's departure and in her vulnerable state, she'd just jump right back into his arms, he reasoned.

He planned to give her his blood very soon and make sure she became his own personal blood fountain by controlling her as much as possible. The influence he'd enforced upon her the first time around was nothing compared to what he was planning to do now. He even thought to bring in a which to put a spell on Sookie.

"Hi Bill. Listen, it's really not a good time. Can we talk, or whatever, some other time?" Sookie said, knowing that despite the distance, he'd be able to hear her just fine.

But then the wind changed direction and Sookie's scent hit Bill in full force, knocking his self-control off center. His pupils dilated and his fangs popped against his will. He was being led by pure instinct at this point and he didn't care enough to snap out of it.

The fae smell Eric had been immune to wasn't something that Bill, 800 years his junior, could resist. He probably had never even been near a full fairy without a cloaking spell.

Bill growled and zipped towards Sookie, closing in fast. But Eric was faster and quickly stepped in front of Sookie, shoving her back a few steps as he caught Bill with his own body. His hand went to Bill's neck gripping him tightly and slamming him into the dirt.

"What the fuck, Bill?!" Sookie screeched, making Bill fight against Eric's hold even more.

"I will drain you dry," Bill seethed.

"Eric, what's wrong with him?"

"I think your scent is a bit more potent than I knew. He's taken over by bloodlust."

"Let go of me! Let me drain her!"

Eric pressed on Bill's throat even more and his knee in his chest. He was just looking for an excuse at this point and he hoped that Sookie wouldn't hate him too much for killing off Compton.

"Eric, I can hear his thoughts," Sookie whispered, shock woven into her words. Eric's head snapped to her, worry written all over his features.

Bill growled and thrashed against Eric, trying to get away, but to no avail.

Sookie gasped as she went through Bill's thoughts, seeing what he planned for her and how it was all his fault. It wasn't Eric's feelings that tipped off Appius about Sookie, but Bill's messages.

Suddenly she was fuming. Her hands lit up with energy and a red orb formed between her hands.

"Move!" she ordered Eric who complied, taken aback by the tone in her voice. "Motherfucker!" she yelled before sending the orb into her former lover. Bill didn't even have time to get up after Eric released him. As the orb reached his body, a red light spread, illuminating his skin and within the blink of an eye he had turned to ash. All that was left of Bill Compton was a Polo shirt and his famous khaki pants.

Sookie gasped. She knew that this was going to hurt him, but she never imagined that she'd be able to kill with this new power coursing through her veins.

Eric's arms wrapped around her and hugged her to him. He had no idea what just happened, but he was proud of her.

"It was him, Eric. It's his fault."

"What is?" he probed, caressing her hair.

"All of this shit we're in. He tracked down Appius, planted the idea of taking Alexis to Freyda's knowing that he'd trade your freedom for it. That fucker couldn't wait for you to leave so he could make a move again," Sookie said. She knew it wasn't exactly nice of her to talk like that about a man who just died, but she couldn't help it.

Eric was furious now that he knew all these details and wanted for Compton to still be alive just so he could be the one to kill him.

"Sookie, are you ok?" he asked, more worried about her state of mind than about his won rage. Regardless of what she'd just figured out from Bill's mind, he still was her first everything. Much as it pained him to admit it, he knew that Compton would always be a part of her heart.

"Yeah, yeah. I think I am. He'd been getting on my nerves for a while now and after all I've been through because of him, what I got from his mind was the last drop. I'll probably hate myself for what I did, but I'll do it tomorrow."

Eric couldn't really blame her for wanting to think about what just happened at another time. "The orb, Sookie… What was that?"

"I have no idea where it came from. I was just so angry and concentrated all this energy running through me and sent it to him. This will really be helpful when we go after Freyda," Sookie reasoned.

Before Eric could express his agreement, the air around them shifted. They felt as if they were in the middle of a small hurricane, but nothing else moved in the yard. Suddenly, a few feet from them stood a beautiful figure.

Eric's arm automatically moved Sookie behind himself as he used his own body as a shield against whatever this creature wanted. But Sookie was having none of that.

"Claudine," she yelled, joy in her voice, as she ducked under Eric's arm and went straight to the eerie presence before them. While Sookie recognized her features and knew that it was her cousin, she didn't immediately notice the translucent wings at her side or the fact that she seemed to be created out of smoke.

"My goddaughter," Claudine said with affection in her voice.

Sookie stopped right in front of her, realizing that she won't be able to hug her friend as she'd hoped.

"You made it, you got your wish."

"I did. Last night as a matter of fact. I had been hoping you'd use the Cluviel Dor to save your heart, to save your relationship with Eric. This was my last plot before I died – getting you two together. I didn't get around to it when I was alive, but somehow, I still got my wings when you went through with the wish last night."

"You wanted us to be together?"

"Of course. Anyone can see a mile away that you two are meant to be together. Well, aside from the two of you, but I guess we're past that now," Claudine laughed and waved it off.

Eric stepped in then, clearing his throat as he approached Sookie.

"Are you here to help?" Eric asked. He knew Sookie was going to need some help to control her powers, aid that he was unable to give her due to his obvious lack of experience with such magic.

Claudine nodded. "I am. I see you've finally taken care of Compton," she said, smirking.

"Claudine!" Sookie exclaimed. Wasn't she supposed to be a compassionate angel now?

The angel simply shrugged her shoulders. "We don't have a lot of time so you'll get a crash course into being a fairy. First off, the killer orb, since you've already used it," she started off.

Claudine went through a range of powers that Sookie now possessed and had her try them out before she had to leave. She taught her how to mask her scent, how to heal, how to damage others and how to teleport.

It was nearly dawn when Claudine finished her training and said that there was nothing more she could do than wish us luck to the "showdown."

"Remember you can't hurt Eric. He's your chosen one and even if you misfire, your power orbs won't hurt him."

"Is that why I still can't read his mind?"

"Yes. You don't need to read this thoughts because you already trust him completely. Everyone else, however, is fair game. You need to be able to listen in to know if you're in any kind of danger."

Eric was surprised to hear that Sookie couldn't hear his thoughts. He had assumed when she said she'd heard Bill that he was on the list too. Not that he cared too much. There was a time, long ago, when he might have been concerned about it, but now he had nothing to hide. He actually wished for her to be able to do it several times over the past few years, especially when they had a fight and she was stubborn enough to not realize just how much she meant to him.

"Oh, and stay away from iron and lemons now that you're a full fairy, Sookie."

She nodded and bid a bittersweet farewell to her cousin, asking her to come back from time to time. As Claudine departed, she knew that was likely not going to happen ever again.

Sookie's body molded into Eric's as he helped her get into the house. She was suddenly very tired and all she wanted to do was rest. She had a couple big days ahead of her and wanted nothing more than to be ready for whatever it was going to happen.

While they didn't make love again that morning, Eric did give her his blood, hoping to make her stronger. He refrained from seeking out her body, despite his arousal caused by seeing and sensing her drink his blood.

Sookie fell asleep in his arm in the light-tight space and he died for the day content that she was now powerful enough to protect herself. Even if it didn't work out with Oklahoma, she'd at least be able to fend off anyone wanting to hurt her while he was away.

The following night found them the same as it had the night before, with both of them waking up at the same time. Sookie was once more surprised by how long she slept, but reasoned that it was probably because she had used so much of her energy while training with Claudine.

She pulled Eric down to her and kissed him fully on the mouth. "Lover," was all he said before his hands started wandering over her naked body.

Sookie arched into his touch, desperate to feel him close, to take him inside of her. Suddenly, she flipped him over and took control, grinding herself on his hardened cock as he kissed her senseless. One shift of her hips and he was sliding in, causing them both to moan in ecstasy.

They moved together in perfect sync until they reached their peaks, their cries of passion filling the room.

"I'll never get tired of this," Sookie giggled, completely blissed out.

"Hopefully I'll always be around to remind you of your words," Eric said with a smile.

"You will be. I'll make sure of it," Sookie said with conviction.

They got out of bed, took a quick shower and Eric called Pam over as Sookie was preparing her dinner.

"Lover, I think it's best if you mask your scent," Eric reminded her.

"Oh, right," she said, her eyes lighting up at that. She quickly found the power within her and did as Claudine had taught her. "Better?"

Eric took a deep sniff and got a confused look on her face. "I suppose we'll find out when Pam comes since apparently I'm immune. You smell the same to me."

Another hour went by before he felt Pam approaching. He got out of the house to meet her before she could get to Sookie. With the way things went with Compton the night before, he didn't want to risk Sookie getting pissed off and ending Pam.

"You smell like candy," Pam said as way of greeting.

"We have a plan."

"I gathered. About time you two got your heads out of your asses and stopped fighting. You're bonded again." It wasn't a question, it was an observation, but Eric nodded all the same.

"Can you smell Sookie?" Eric asked.

"Yes. Why?"

"Anything out of the ordinary?"

Pam closed her eyes and sampled the air. "Fae. I smell Fae, traces of it anyway."

"Let's get you in the house then and we'll go from there," Eric said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. While this was a friendly gesture it was also a position that would help him restrain her if for some reason she couldn't control herself around Sookie.

Sookie was in the kitchen, where he'd left her. She smiled when she saw Pam and waited for her reaction.

"Why are you two looking at me that way? Do I have lipstick on my teeth?" she asked.

Sookie sighed in relief. "No, but we have shit to discuss and you getting all hungry over me wasn't going to cut it. Thankfully, my masking spell works."

"Your what?" Pam asked, completely intrigued.

And with that they started telling her about what had happened in the past couple of nights, hoping to get her up to speed as soon as possible in order to move on to the planning part of the evening.

Pam was stunned by the story and still had a hard time believing it all, but it didn't seem like they were pulling a prank on her. When Sookie demonstrated the "red orb of doom," as she immediately named it, she was sure it wasn't a joke.

"So, we're going to go after Oklahoma now that I have these powers. No one will be stupid enough to come after us in the future," Sookie said, grinning.

"You make things so interesting, Sookie. I've said that before, haven't I?" Pam asked. She truly did like Sookie, especially when she and her master were not fighting.

The plan to take down Freyda was laid out and details were arranged. Phone calls needed to be made to round out the troops and that was it.

They agreed that with the powers Sookie now possessed, it might not be such a bad idea for Eric to become King. No vampire would be stupid enough to go against himself and a powerful fairy. Since Eric's primary concern had been the vampires that would want to harm him and his, this didn't seem to be the case anymore. Or better said, it wouldn't be a concern once word got out about Sookie's skills.

Two days later, armed to their teeth, Eric and Pam walked in Oklahoma's royal court, alongside Thalia, the 2,400 year old vampire that no one dared cross. They were joining Eric to make sure he was safe before returning to Louisiana, or at least that was the story the guards had heard.

"Dear, finally, you've come," Freyda said as he spotted Eric. Her retinue parted to make room for the Queen's consort, his progeny and his underling.

Without caring that the room was filled with 50 vampires that were supposedly under Oklahoma's control, Eric stopped a few feet away from Freyda and stated clearly. "I have come to ask for you to annul the contract. I already have a wife and I don't intend, under any circumstances, to become your husband."

Freyda was shocked. How could the Viking not want to be with her? How could he choose a lowly human over her? "A contract is a contract, Northman, and you'll honor it. If not, I'll have you killed and your precious little pet," she hissed through her teeth.

Eric smirked in response. "See, I was hoping you wouldn't say that," Eric said and used the bond to signal Sookie that she could make an appearance. The telepath had been waiting outside the court's walls with over a dozen vampires and a handful of weres who were going to help them kill their enemies.

In an instant, Sookie had materialized in front of Eric, while Pam and Thalia took a step forward, to help guard her sides too, not only the Viking's. Her sudden appearance made Freyda take a step back.

"What is this?"

"Don't you remember me? Or have you forgotten how you strolled into my house telling me that you would take Eric away from me?"

"But that's impossible. Sookie Stackhouse is a human," she said.

"Do I look human to you? I wasn't a human when you came visit me and I'm certainly not a human now," Sookie said fiercely.

"You are banned from Oklahoma. I'll have your head on a plate, you insufferable bitch!"

"I don't really care about your decrees, if you haven't figured that out yet. I also don't like that you're trying to steal my husband from me," Sookie said. She was getting bored of this and her blood was starting to boil as she read Freyda's mind. She didn't think she was going to resist too much reading her mind and seeing just how full of herself the Oklahoma Queen was.

"Guards, take her," Freyda said, causing Sookie to smile and the three vampires around her to draw their swords.

"Game on, then," Sookie said and put her hands together, pulling from her energy and creating a red orb, causing the guards that were approaching her to stop in their tracks. Without waiting for another vile thing to go through Freyda's mind, Sookie threw the orb towards her.

The globe entered the chest of the Queen of Oklahoma causing her to gasp and look down. Her body lit up from inside and then she was dust, leaving behind the white gown she had been wearing.

"Who's next," Sookie asked, turning around to see who else was eager to die and found that the Queen didn't really have many loyal followers. Those who had no desire to be in this fight retreated to the sides of the room, while the others closed in on Sookie, Eric, Pam and Thalia.

In that instant, their backup came into the room. Their swords were already bloody, hinting that they had to fight their way in. Madness erupted around them, with swords clashing and fists being thrown around. Sookie aimed a few fire globes as well, taking out a handful vampires in the process.

It wasn't like in the movies, though. The brawl didn't last long mostly because vampires went for the kill and one hit would usually take them down. Considering how fast they moved and their considerable strength, the fight could only last a few minutes.

The floor was filled with the dust and clothes of those who had perished. Thankfully, only a couple of Eric's vampires died in the process. A were was also pretty badly hurt, but Sookie helped him heal with a blue orb, as Claudine had taught her.

The Viking climbed the few steps leading to the stage that Freyda had set her throne on. He turned to the crowd and noticed the vampires that were lining the edges of the room.

"You've chosen not to fight tonight, which means you get to live. For those of you who do not know, I am Eric Northman, the one who was supposed to become the Queen's consort due to a dishonorable contract signed by my Maker. Felipe de Castro, the King of Louisiana, Arkansas and Nevada, refused to intervene because he wanted to get his hands on Sookie Stackhouse Brigant, my bonded and pledged," he said, extending a hand to Sookie, who gladly took it and stood at his side.

Eric was dropping names, he knew that, but by using the name of the Brigant family he was making sure they knew who they were messing with. While the younger vampires wouldn't know who Niall was, the older ones let out a small gasp of surprise at the mention of the name.

"I am taking over Oklahoma. You can pledge your allegiance to me or leave the state," he said simply.

The Louisiana vampires dropped to their knees, fully intending on moving to the new Kingdom rather than to stay under de Castro and Victor.

Aside from a couple of the vampires originally in Freyda's court who chose to leave the building, the rest followed suit and dropped to their knees in front of Sookie and Eric.

"Thank you for your trust. We'll get things sorted soon, since my sources tell me Freyda has made a mess out of running this state, asking high tributes so she could afford her lifestyle. I do not want to weaken your businesses, I want them to thrive, so much will change. We'll look through Freyda's papers and inform each and one of you about the situation you're in. If you have anything to complain about, let me know and I'll look into it. Spread the word - court starts next week. If there's anything urgent until then, you are to contact my seconds in command, Thalia and Pamela," he said, motioning to the two women in front of him.

"One more thing," he added. "I do not want for anyone to make any mistakes. Sookie, my bonded and pledged, will be the new Queen of Oklahoma and will rule next to me. If you have a problem with that, I suggest you leave the state. You've all heard my name by now, you know of my reputation and what I am capable of. Tonight, you saw what my Queen is capable of. Those who try to hurt either of us or the new vampires that will be moving to Oklahoma will face the consequences. That is all!" he concluded, grabbed Sookie's hand and disappeared.

They had practiced the side-by-side teleportation the night before and had been thrilled to see that she could carry Eric with her. She couldn't do the same to Pam, so she reasoned that it must have been directly connected to the bond between them.

Sookie took them to a house that Eric had bought in Oklahoma, not far from where Freyda's palace was. He had no intention of living in that place or even keeping court there. He had to find a new location, but that wasn't exactly his top worry.

Now that he was a leader, Eric intended to do his best to make the kingdom thrive, to show everyone that Kings aren't meant to simply gather up all the riches and give nothing back. The way Eric saw it, he was the CEO of the state – his job was to rule them all and to make sure everyone was happy with their lives there.

He gathered Sookie in his arms as he took them to bed. "Queen, eh?" she asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Of course. I wouldn't accept this job if you weren't to rule by my side," he smirked.

"I love you, my King," Eric said.

"And I love you, min älskare."

Decades passed and Eric's kingdom became the wealthiest in the whole of the United States. De Castro had tried to go after him, to annex yet another state, but he truly didn't know who he was dealing with. He had been under the foolish impression that just because Eric didn't try to take Louisiana from him after Sophie Anne was murdered, he didn't do it because he couldn't. He couldn't even fathom that someone with the necessary power and influence wouldn't step up to grab a state when it was available.

Eric and Sookie didn't want the added stress of running three more kingdoms, however. Pam and Thalia got promoted to Queens, while the third state was given to Russell Edginton as a "thank you" gift for the support he's shown over the years after the takeover.

Sookie didn't age at all during this time. She had worried that she'd start to see signs of aging – wrinkles, sagginess, anything – but none had come so far. She knew that faeries aged slowly, but it was still incredible to her. Niall had been Eric's age and looked about fifty, so Sookie reasoned that she had another three hundred years before she'd ask Eric to turn her. She didn't want to look more than thirty when she became vampire. She knew it was out of vanity, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

Until then, she'd provide Eric with the nourishment he needed from her blood.

Their love didn't weaken over the years, but continued to grow. They were very much like teenagers and continues to grope each other every chance they got, followed by hot sex sessions. On occasions, Eric would take more of her blood and he'd spend the morning with her in the Sun, protected by whatever powers it held.

He was always entranced by the fact that Sookie could give him back the Sun, even if for a brief period of time. He was eager, however, for her to become Vampire. Despite all her powers, he never felt she was truly safe from all the dangers of the world; not how she would be once she was turned.

Alas, the troubles were few and far between. They lived happily ever after.


End file.
